Second time riding the AMR. 100% recommend it. The first 3/4 is just jaw dropping stunning. I had a really rough start: landed 5hrs prior to start, grabbed my bike bag and got to the race hotel 30min away. Opened it to assemble and it WASNT MY BIKE. Back to the airport to swap (I had an AirTag on my bike), but once there saw the dot moving away from the airport into Marrakech. Grabbed my taxi and started following the dot w the other bike bag- eventually tracked it down to a hotel next to the Medina. Swapped the bags, back to my race hotel to assemble w/ 1hr to go. Realized I left my passport at the other hotel when they asked for verification. 15min to start, got my passport back, bike assembled, bags checked in. Lined up for the start and my front tire was flat. 1km into the race start I veered 1hr off course to seek a bike shop. Got it sorted but lost the peloton and rode Lantern Rouge w a police escort for the next four hours. Original plan was to ride non stop 24-30hr. New plan I stopped, exhausted on the first climb to sleep. Would take me two more days to reach my original first night destination. All this forced me reset expectations. I decided to sleep every night with no alarm. During the days I rode faster and more enjoyably. By the 3rd day I had caught up to my 2023 pace and by the end of the race finished 7hrs ahead of that pace. Quality prep, and mid race rest really impacts me. Was trepidatious doing the 1,300km again - would I get bored and question the time away from family. Instead, the delayed start gifted me vistas during the day I had previously lost to the night, and vice versa. I also spent quality time in my own headspace, going non-digital for 24hrs and loving it. Really was all very enjoyable until the Sand Pit at Agadir. Wheels started falling off and the culminated in a 5hr strong headwind race up the coast where I moved 6 places up the classification only to lose a tire at km 1,299. Crossed the finish line wasted but happy. Physically I’m better off than in 2023. Only suffering a bit of edema in my legs hands and ankles rather than the nerve damage from the prior race. Gear: I still froze to death at night tho I loved camping out under the stars. Overall my rig felt so much lighter than 2023. Spesh Epic World Cup with Flight Attendant front fork + jokes bar and Leap Components. I’d do it again. Maybe in 2yrs, as a pair? ⛰️ Tizi Tamguert Ouzagnar (1,660 m) | 🌐 summitbag